Thursday, November 29, 2012

Safari

I had an opportunity to go on a safari in Tanzania the day after Thanksgiving. Holy cow, what an experience!! Ethiopian Airlines was late on the first flight, so we missed our connection, which made us spent the night and missed the first day of the safari. It was one of those hotels you wonder if you will check out with some sort of disease. As Dave put it, it was like they forgot to put the mattress on the box spring. The bed was as hard as a rock.

The food was incredible! Our cook was amazing and prepared a 3-course meal each night which consisted of soup, the main course, and dessert. He even baked rolls! All this on an open flame. I think his biggest compliment was when I called him a chef. He really was!

The safari itself was incredible! My first encounter was with an elephant in our camp. I walked out of the bathroom and saw something that didn’t register in my brain right away – elephant legs!! He turned to me and started walking toward me. I thought, “He won’t come too close because the trees are too low.” Then he lunged towards me and kicked dirt at me! THAT made me think twice about my initial thought that he wouldn’t come too close. Needless to say, I walked another way back to my tent.

I really don’t know what else to say about the experience other than this. I always love to see documentaries on TV about animals in Africa; however, to experience being in their presence in their environment is a very exhilarating experience. I was in awe just being in their presence. Truly an unforgettable experience.



Behind our "hotel"
Our "hotel" that forgot to put the mattress on
the box springs
 

Check out this scafolding - made out of sticks!

The "hotel"

Dave's last minute texting

Thanks to Dave's persistance, we were bumped to 1st class


Mt. Kilimanjaro


Lots of open markets in the towns


African paint version of the VW Beetle Bug

 


Young childres tend the animals as well as adults


These are termite hills and are everywhere!



Our guide, John (Lt) and cool, Emanuel (Rt)

Salt lake in the Ngorongoro Crater




Setting up camp in Ngorongoro Crater



African sunsets are beautiful!

Sunrises are beautiful as well!!



Massai warriors - I bought that spear from one of them



First Zebras sighted. What a thrill!!



Wart Hog

Wart Hogs eat on their knees


Up close and personal!!


Wildebeests like grazing with Zebra for added protection and because their eyesight isn't as good as Zebras'




Thompson's Gazelle




Baby Zebras are a reddish color, not black

Dave sportin' an Air Force "boonie" hat (he's a Marine)




Ostrich



Hyenas


Hyena passing a Grant's Gazelle





Hippo




Jackal





African Buffalo






Nearly extinct Black Rhino





Lioness carrying Wildebeest leg






Hildebrandt's Starling



The road to the Serengeti












Hippo skeleton


Lion cubs waiting for mom



Mom just called them




Lioness in the tree




The male is the colorful one. The females are just
brown and white




The only Leopard we saw









Impala




The elusive Cheetah





Lion doing "jig-jig"

African Geese





Zebra are disturbing their "jig-jig" time